Ronald Reagan arrived in Singapore June 17, and Sailors had the opportunity to experience local culture and participated in a variety of command-sponsored projects and tours.

Ronald Reagan’s Command Religious Ministries Department coordinated six projects for Sailors to interact with the local community, including volunteer opportunities at a soup kitchen, a food bank and interacting with early intervention, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten special needs students by helping them with homework and assisting teachers with assignments.

“Community relations projects are an incredible opportunity for us to meet the local community and represent our Strike Group and the United States as ambassadors,” said Cmdr. David Yang, command chaplain.

Reagan Sailors also experienced Singapore through nine tours offered by the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Department. Tour packages included trips to see some of the country’s botanical gardens to a night safari experience.

“These tours help us grow,” said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Letonya Fitzpatrick. “It’s important to go out and explore. If we don’t get out and explore the culture of where we go, that would just be a waste of time.”

In addition to tours and community relations events, MWR also held a variety of sporting events that allowed Ronald Reagan Sailors to compete against other strike group Sailors and local sporting teams. The list of sports included soccer, volleyball, softball and basketball.

Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.